


Unfinished Business

by somnolentblue



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Community: spn_bitesized, F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-04-29
Updated: 2010-04-29
Packaged: 2017-10-09 05:37:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 858
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/83612
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/somnolentblue/pseuds/somnolentblue
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ellen woke up when she felt something nudge her shoulder. She tensed, ready to take whatever action would prove necessary. (Set after 5.10)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Unfinished Business

**Author's Note:**

> For other possible relevant warnings, see end notes before reading. Written for [](http://spn-bitesized.dreamwidth.org/profile)[**spn_bitesized**](http://spn-bitesized.dreamwidth.org/) in response to [](http://maharet83.dreamwidth.org/profile)[**maharet83**](http://maharet83.dreamwidth.org/)'s [prompt](http://spn-bitesized.dreamwidth.org/6678.html?thread=34582#cmt34582) about Ellen and Jo after 5.10.
> 
> Thank you to [](http://too-rational.dreamwidth.org/profile)[**too_rational**](http://too-rational.dreamwidth.org/) and [fannishliss](http://fannishliss.livejournal.com) for encouragement and looking it over prior to posting.

Ellen woke up when she felt something nudge her shoulder. She tensed, ready to take whatever action would prove necessary.

"El, you gotta stop working so hard," Bill said. "Come eat."

Ellen lifted her head from the table it had been resting on and blinked. _What the hell?_ she thought. She was in their private kitchen behind the Roadhouse, sitting at the second table, which they had laughingly dubbed the office when they squeezed it in, with the books spread out in front of her. Bill was at the stove transferring a pot roast to a serving platter, and Jo was wearing tiny overalls and setting the table.

She stared at him. Bill shouldn't be here _(a hunter's pyre, so he wouldn't come back)_. Bill shouldn't be anywhere _(a funeral for his parent's sake, but they buried an empty coffin)_. Bill was dead _(John had stitched him up, at least, so the body they burned resembled her husband)_. Jo was grown _(a hesitant reunion)_ and Bill was dead _(John Winchester dripping rainwater on her doorstep)_: these were two things she knew to be true that apparently weren't.

Ellen moved to their main table, sitting down at her usual place and watching Jo and Bill do their setting and serving dance. Sometimes skipping the three steps across the kitchen was involved; other times there were tiptoes and random song lyrics. Tonight's version featured a twirl every time one of them went through the middle of the kitchen with empty hands. She smiled at their antics, tried to shake off her unease.

She remained quiet throughout dinner, trying to convince herself that she didn't need to go looking for Jo because Jo was right in front of her, chattering away about finger painting and her kindergarten class. She added comments when Jo paused for breath, struggling to recall information about Jo's classmates, even though Jo talked about them every night. She smiled at Bill, ignoring the way his presence screeched across her senses as he flickered in and out. They would expand the Roadhouse, she thought, maybe add a room for hunters who needed a safe place to sleep, some food for people who needed a warm meal that wasn't made in ancient grease.

They finished eating, and Jo and Bill started gathering up the dishes and cleaning up. She returned to her books, but surreptitiously watched her family. _(Gotta find Jo, my baby's hurt, where's my Joanna Beth?)_ Bill disappeared between the stove and the fridge, although Jo kept talking to him.

Ellen took a deep breath and stood up. "Jo, baby, let's go for a walk," she said.

"But it's dark!" Jo exclaimed; they didn't let her go outside after dark, too many unruly hunters sleeping in their vehicles who might be careless and critters that might be lurking.

"It's okay baby, just the once," Ellen replied. "I'll get your jacket, meet me by the side door." _(Bill wasn't there looking at her quizzically and silently asking her if she'd lost her mind. Bill was dead; she had burned his body and buried his ghost.)_

She went to the side entrance and pulled Jo's mittens out of the basket and their jackets of the hooks. Jo came around the corner, and Ellen passed her the mittens, one at a time, and then her jacket. "Daddy says he'll read to me tonight," she said, "so we gotta be back in soon."

"We'll be back soon," Ellen told her, giving her a hug and tucking white blonde hair behind Jo's ear. She missed her baby girl _(brave smiles, head lolling on her shoulder)_ and had to find her. She grabbed Jo's hand and lead them out into the crisp winter night.

The trails by their home called to her, so she took them into the woods. The full moon helped, but it was still dark. Jo stumbled, but she didn't complain. Instead she asked if they were going hunting like big girls and wondered where their guns were. Ellen should shush her. However, she hadn't heard her baby girl so uncomplicatedly happy in a long time _(not since yesterday when she played with the puppy Bill had brought home at lunch, not since her daddy died)_, so she let Jo ramble _(they had to find Jo, Jo was right there, Jo was dead, they had to find Jo)_.

She noticed the absence of Jo's hand in hers and looked to her side. Jo was gone, but she was going to find her.

Ellen walked.

Eventually, the trail ended, and she was at the Roadhouse once more. She tried the front door, but it was locked. She went around to the side door and let herself in to her home. Jo, her Jo, dark blonde hair over her shoulders, jeans and a grey t-shirt, was sitting at the table with Ellen and Bill, learning how to clean a gun and sharpen a knife from her while being quizzed about basic first aid by Bill. She smiled to see her baby girl content, surrounded by her parents and doing something she enjoyed. But -

"Joanna Beth, wake up. We have work to do."

**Author's Note:**

> This is set after 5.10, so Ellen and Jo are dead. However, the death occurred pre-fic, so I opted not to choose major character death as a warning.


End file.
